As a coastal city with a subtropical climate, Hong Kong is especially vulnerable to climate change. Last year’s Typhoon Hato caused HK$8 billion in losses. Yet, we are surprisingly complacent. The government’s 26-36 per cent carbon reduction target for 2030 pales in comparison to the effort by other major economies. Germany, for example, is aiming to cut its carbon emissions by 80-95 per cent by 2050.

We can no longer dally with climate change. Friends of the Earth (HK) urges the government to adopt a “climate first” approach, with a stronger target of 80 per cent carbon reduction by mid-century in the 2018 policy address, to drive its long-term decarbonisation strategies.

To support this, renewable energy should account for at least 10 per cent of the fuel mix by 2030. Instead of solely relying on public participation through feed-in tariffs, the government should also take the lead and install renewable energy equipment on all owned and funded premises, such as public hospitals and aided schools.

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In terms of adaptation measures, an emergency response office on climate change should be established. Recent extreme weather events have shown that interdepartmental coordination is required in disaster planning and management. The government should also collaborate with other cities within the Greater Bay Area to exchange experience and resources, reducing the cost of implementation while enhancing synergy on climate change adaptation measures.

Finally, there is the pragmatic issue of funding climate projects. The government should take advantage of Hong Kong’s position as a world-class financial centre to enable green financing and sustainable investment. At the same time, they should divest from fossil fuels.

Climate change may be inevitable, but we can still limit its severity. If we do not quickly ramp up climate actions, we risk passing down an uninhabitable Hong Kong to future generations.